Update to Funeral Programs Database

It's been a while since I posted the link to my (Mostly) African American Funeral Programs Database. This seems like a good time to share it, since I've just added two more programs, one of which is for a public figure - who was also a dear friend.

Calvin W. Pearson, Sr.

Front cover of Calvin Pearson's funeral program

Calvin was a noted historian and researcher, who was known, first and foremost, as the founder and president of Project 1619, a nonprofit that has played a crucial role in teaching and correcting the narrative about the arrival of enslaved Africans in English-speaking North America, for over 20 years. We became friends through our involvement with the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Afro American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS); and, we subsequently discovered, through DNA testing, that we were also family - although we hadn't yet discovered who our common ancestors were.

Calvin's final arrangements were entrusted to Perkins Funeral Home, in Hampton, Virginia. To sign his guestbook and/or to view his obituary, click here. If you are interested in his funeral program, please visit my database and contact me via the link provided there. 

Here is the permalink to my database: https://tinyurl.com/SandersFuneralPrograms

Frances Lee Alton Hill

Front cover of Frances Hill's funeral program

I mentioned that I've just added two funeral programs to my database: the second was for my beloved Aunt Frances, wife of my mother's late brother, Howell Webster Hill, Sr. My aunt was a very special person, who God blessed to see almost 93 years, here on Earth. She had a quiet spirit (but she loved to talk!) and she loved and was loyal to all of her family and friends. I will likely write more about her on my family-focused blog, Into the LIGHT, so I won't say much more here. Her services were handled by Riddick Funeral Service, of Norfolk, Virginia. You can visit her memorial page, here; and, if you're interested in her funeral program, please reach out to me via my database, which (again) you can access by clicking on this link: https://tinyurl.com/SandersFuneralPrograms

Screenshot of a snippet of my database

As a reminder, my (Mostly) African American Funeral Programs Database is just that - a database. When you visit the link, you will find an excel spreadsheet that gives vital information about persons for whom I hold a physical (hard copy) of their funeral program. The information in the database will include names, birth/death dates and locations, names of spouses, and sometimes additional information such as nicknames or titles. When you see information for a person of interest, simply email me at yarsan@aol.com, to request a scan of the actual funeral program, which I will send to your email address. In some cases, if I have multiple copies of the program, I will gladly send a hard copy via U.S. mail. Also, if you have funeral programs that you would like to contribute or add to the database, please reach out to me at the same email - yarsan@aol.com. Those contributed to me are added to my page of the database; however, you will see that I allow others to add theirs, just as my friend, Adrienne Johnson, has done on Sheet 2 of the database, where she has added 198 (to date) additional programs! Be sure to check hers out, also!

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to check out the database!

Renate

Permalink to this post: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2024/09/update-to-funeral-programs-database.html

Renate on the Web (and In Person!) - 2023 First-Half

 As in the past couple of years, I have several speaking engagements coming up, as we go into Black History Month and the Spring season. I've been pulling back a bit, though, so this year's list is not as busy as before. As you'll see, we are starting to get back to in person events, so my usual "Renate on Web" title for this post had to be edited! :)

Where's Renate?                                                                                                                Here's what I have going on for the first half of 2023. Where possible, I'll include a link where you can get more information and register for the events, if interested. All times given are in Eastern Time. I will also indicate with ($) at the end of each event that is not free. Here goes!

January 2023

28th - AAHGS-Greater Richmond Chapter, Monthly Meeting (Hybrid): Topic - "Researching Enslaved Ancestors" Click for more info and to register.   https://aahgsrichmondva.com/eventscalendar/

February 2023

4th - Stark Library, Canton, OH (Virtual): Topic - "From Yarborough to Neal: Reconstructing My Enslaved Family Using DNA" https://stark.libnet.info/event/7483558

10th-11th - North Carolina AAHGS Annual Black History Month Banquet and Conference: Opening Conference Speaker  https://tinyurl.com/ncaahgs2023 ($)

18th - Norfolk (VA) Public Library - Jordan-Newby Anchor Branch at Broad Creek, Norfolk, VA: Topic - "Researching Ancestors of Color" https://norfolkpubliclibrary-adultprograms.eventbrite.com

25th - Union County (NC) Library (Virtual): Topic - "Using Funeral Programs to Inform Genealogy Research"   (No registration. Click link at time of event (2/25/23 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern) This is a hybrid event.    https://www.unioncountync.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/1356/1040

March 2023

25th - North Carolina Genealogical Society, Virtual Conference: Topic - Records of the Freedmen's Bureau - There's Something for Everyone" https://www.ncgenealogy.org/event/ncgs-2023-virtual-conference-coming-soon/ ($)

April 2023

7th - (2:00 p.m.) Legacy Family Tree Webinars - "Tick Marks and Number Counts: Understanding and Using the Slave Schedules" - The live presentation is free and the replay is free for one week, but registration is required. Available to subscribing members after the first week. Register here: https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/tic-marks-and-number-counts-understanding-and-using-the-slave-schedules/                                                              Update: This lecture was recognized as the highest rated on Legacy Family Tree Webinars for the month of April! What an honor! I hope you'll check it out! :)

11th - (1:00 - 2:00) Wake Forest University: "Conducting Research on Enslaved Humans Owned by Wake Forest College" - Z. Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University. This is an in-person event sponsored by the Department of Sociology, RECAAL, and the Provost's Office. (Open to the public.)

13th - Virginia Beach (VA) Genealogy Society: Understanding and Using the Slave Schedules - This is a hybrid meeting. Email meetings@vbgsva.net to request the Zoom link. 

26th-29th - Ohio Genealogical Society 2023 Conference, Kalahari Resort and Conference Center, Sandusky, OH; "What Brought Them Here 1803-2023" - I'll be giving four lectures. Click link for conference and registration information: https://www.ogs.org/2023-conference/ ($)

May 2023

2nd - Genealogy Quick Start, with host Shamele Jordan - "DNA Discovers Granddad's Dalliances" Tune in LIVE! https://www.youtube.com/@GenealogyQuickStart/featured

31st  - National Genealogical Society 2023 Family History Conference, Richmond, VA; "Virginia, the Deep Roots of a Nation" Pre-Conference Day

June 2023

June 1- 3 - National Genealogical Society 2023 Family History Conference, Richmond, VA; "Virginia, the Deep Roots of a Nation" - I'll be giving two lectures: F242- Enslaved Ancestral Research in Virginia and North Carolina and S352- "From This Day Forward" - Documenting Marital Unions of Enslaved and Emancipated Persons." Click link for conference and registration information: https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/ ($)

4th - Let's Talk North Carolina Genealogy! Season 3, Episode 11: "Researching the Wake Forest 16" - I will be sharing information about the descendant research I'm doing for Wake Forest University, regarding the 1860 sale of 16 enslaved individuals to create an endowment for the school. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/LTNCGS3E11

14th - Lemonade Insurance Employee Group - "Records of the Freedmen's Bureau: There's Something for Everyone!" (Private event)

17th - (1:00 p.m.) Historical Society of Washington County, VA, "Reclaiming Our History" Annual Conference (Virtual) "Researching Ancestors of Color" Register here.

It's good to see folks and to be seen!                                                                                        One of the best things about returning to in person is thinking about seeing gen-friends, old and new! I am looking forward to seeing and meeting as many of you, as possible, at these upcoming events!

     

Picture 1 - With genfriends, Shelley and Tim in Fluvanna, Virginia (unsure of year)

Picture 2 - With genfriends Amy and Peggy at OGS 2022

Picture 3 - With genfriends Shelly, Judy, Thom, and Gary at NGS 2017

Renate

P.S. This post will be updated as additional events are added. If you are interested in having me as a speaker for your organization, please email me at yarsan@aol.com to request my current list of topics. I'd love to hear from you!

Permalink to this post: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2023/01/renate-on-web-and-in-person-2023.html

Renate on the Web: Black History Month 2022

Updated 2/21/22

Black History Month is every month, for me! However, we've just entered the nationally appointed month of recognition and celebration - the "formal" Black History Month, if you will, which actually began with Carter G. Woodson's "Black History Week," back in 1926, but was designated in the United States as "Black History Month" in 1976 - and has continued to be designated as such by every American President, since then. 

Black History Month is also a very busy time for genealogists (and historians) who speak on topics related to African American research. Many of us are bombarded with requests to appear during the month of February, which we happily accept, but certainly would love for this level of interest in our specialization(s) would be present throughout the year. :)

I have been posting some of my upcoming events on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets but, that can get exhausting and also confusing if I don't do a good job of keeping up with what I've already posted and where! But, while doing some reviewing and editing on my blog this morning, I ran across a post I'd done almost a year ago called, "Renate on the Web" and I realize I must have been feeling much the same way, when I decided to go on and post my upcoming appearances for that particular period. "Ah-ha" (I said to myself): "THIS is what I need to do now!" So, here we go! 

Renate on the Web: February 2022                                                                                      (Please click on links for times and additional info. ALL events are virtual!)

Please join me for some (or all) of these exciting events!

1. Friday, 2/4/22 - Clayton Library (Houston, Texas) - "In Their Own Words: Voices from the Slave Narratives" https://houstonlibrary.libcal.com/event/8494212 (Scroll to bottom of page.)

2. Saturday, 2/5/22 - North Carolina Chapters of AAHGS - Black History Month Conference - "Freedom Bound: Escaping Bondage for Life in the North" and "We Were Supposed To Be Neals: Reconstructing an Enslaved Family Using DNA" https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nc-aahgs-black-history-genealogy-virtual-conference-2022-tickets-222988814547

3. Sunday, 2/6/22 - Let's Talk North Carolina Genealogy - Monthly Research Chat (Theme: "Love is in the Air." Join me and my cohost, Taneya Y. Koonce, as we gather with other North Carolina researchers to share findings, conundrums, celebrations, and stories from our family history journeys. All are welcome! Registration required. https://bit.ly/2022-ltncg-research-chats

4. Saturday, 2/12/22 - Hampton Roads Chapter of AAHGS - "Putting Your Fingers to Work: Transcribing and Indexing Historical Documents" (This is a joint presentation with Selma Stewart. The focus will be on African American projects.) Email aahgshr@gmail.com to request meeting link.

5. Thursday, 2/17/22 - Bay Shore Brightwaters Library (Brightwaters, NY) - "Genealogy 101: Researching Ancestors of Color" https://www.bsbwlibrary.org/black-history-month/  Scroll down to "Zoom Programs." To register and receive Zoom information, email rs@bsbwlibrary.org.

6. Saturday, 2/19/22 - International African American Museum (Charleston, SC) - "African American Genealogy Research in the North Carolina Gullah-Geechee Corridor" Registration required. Click here for link.

7. Wednesday, 2/23/22 - AARP and Richmond Chapter of ASALH - "Wind Down Wednesdays: The Dismal Swamp and African American Freedom Seekers" with filmmaker, Brian Bullock. (I've just been added to this program as a panelist, with Mr. Bullock after he presents one of his short films, so you may not see my name on the advertisement. The discussion will center around taking road trips to ancestral locations!) Registration is required. https://aarp.cventevents.com/event/ea2d90c2-7c1e-4a06-9ef3-1d8794323643/summary

8. Friday, February 25 (NEW!) - Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project - "Finding Calvin: Following My Enslaved Ancestor Through Multiple Owners: A Case Study" Set a reminder to join the Zoom meeting on February 25 at 1:00 EST. Here's the link!  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85372515448

National Geographic Podcast - I'm also pleased to be a contributing member of an exciting podcast, "Into the Depths," featuring National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts, who sets off on the journey of a lifetime to meet the divers, marine archaeologists, descendants of those brought over on slave ships, as well as historians investigating the lost stories of the slave trade. This is a six-episode podcast, airing on Thursday evenings, which actually began on January 27, and runs through March 3. I was hired as Ms. Roberts' genealogist and will be included in the March 3 episode, as well as in the March issue of National Geographic Magazine (cover story!), which will be released on February 8th.

Click here for more information and to access all available episodes of the podcast and here for the National Geographic Magazine web site.  Though I don't yet know what parts or how much of my research actually "made the cut" for publication, I am ever grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Tara Roberts and to have been included as one of the "featured voices" in this amazing project!

Currently, these are the presentations I have for February 2022, but requests are still coming in, so stay tuned for updates! (I'm saying a prayer that I haven't forgotten anything!) I will also add a few of my commitments for March and April, below.

MARCH

March 3-5/2022 - RootsTech Connect! "Who Ya Gonna Call? Myth Busters" and "What To Do When There's Nothing To Do" (These are both short versions of larger presentations, due to the RootsTech format.) To register, for the world's biggest genealogy conference, visit   https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/next/

 Thursday, 3/10/22 - The Genealogy Center at Allen County Public Library - "Researching Formerly Enslaved Ancestors: It Takes a Village!" - Registration link not yet available, but check this link for updates: https://acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy

Saturday, 3/19/22 - Tidewater Genealogical Society (Virginia) - "Researching Free People of Color in Virginia and North Carolina: 1800-1865" Registration information will be forthcoming. Email VATGS@verizon.net with questions.

Thursday, 3/24/22 - College of Coastal Georgia - "Using Funeral Programs to Inform Genealogy Research" https://upto.com/e/F12WO

APRIL

Friday, April 1, 2022 (NEW!) - Legacy Family Tree Webinars - "We Were Supposed to be Neals: Reconstructing An Enslaved Family Using DNA" Come along on this journey as I share how, using a combination of DNA and traditional research, I was able to find the family of my once enslaved great-grandfather, Calvin! This live presentation is free and will be available for one week for non-members of Legacy. After that, a subscription (well worth it) will be required to view it. Register here! https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/we-were-supposed-to-be-neals-reconstructing-an-enslaved-family-using-dna/

And since I'm on a roll, a few blasts from the past!

January 2022 - North Carolina Genealogical Society and PBS - Virtual Sneak Preview of Season 8 of Finding Your Roots with follow-up discussion panel - Panel discussion available on YouTube at this link: tinyurl.com/NCGSPBS

December 2020 - Another View (Radio Show) - Finding Your Roots, WHRO Style! This is part 1 of a two-part event with Barbara Hamm Lee (host) and Lisa Godley (producer) of this popular PBS local radio weekly radio program. Click here to listen:                                                https://mediaplayer.whro.org/program/anotherview/e/anotherview-thursday-december-10th-2020

The second part of this wonderful event was a LIVE Genealogy Reveal, presented on Zoom, during which I present Ms. Hamm Lee and Ms. Godley with the results of my research on their extensive family histories. Grab some popcorn and join the fun and excitement as I reveal their roots, "WHRO Style!" (Click to watch!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=ABGudqXJhbc)

I hope to see you (virtually) soon! :)

Thanks for reading!

Renate

Permalink to this post: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2022/02/renate-on-web-black-history-month-2022.html

Renate Yarborough Sanders - Speaker Profile

I am an experienced teacher and genealogy presenter, available for speaking engagements, both in-person and virtually! Please email me at yarsan@aol.com for information about availability and fees. I would love to be considered as a speaker for your next event!

Speaker Bio

Renate Yarborough Sanders has been engaged in genealogy research since 1997 and has been giving genealogy related presentations, to a variety of audiences, since 2012.  She is the descendant of formerly-enslaved ancestors, as well as enslavers and free people of color. Renate is the author of two blogs: “Into the LIGHT”, which focuses on her own family history; and, “Genea-Related”, which is a platform for presenting a variety of information of genealogical interest.  Renate also produces a “(Mostly) African-American Funeral Programs” online database, in which she publishes vital data extracted from funeral programs. For a more extensive bio, please email Renate at yarsan@aol.com.

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    Current Topics:

       Finding Calvin: Following My Enslaved Ancestor Through Multiple Owners: A Case Study

In this presentation, the researcher models the process used in verifying an ancestor’s slavery status, and shares the methodology and documents used to document his owners during 25 years of enslavement.

Researching Free People of Color in Antebellum Years: 1800 – 1865

Discussion of the lives and circumstances of FPOC in the states of North Carolina and Virginia, the laws enacted to exert increasing control over them, and a look at useful record types for researching this population. (This talk can be broadened to include other areas.)

       The Case for DNA: Why Should I Test?

Are you on the fence about DNA testing? Do you wonder if the results are “real” or if they can truly help you to further your genealogy research? Participants will learn about the main types of DNA testing, and how each can help to inform genealogical research. Examples of real-life DNA success stories will also be shared.

        Getting Started with Genealogy Research

How does one get started with genealogical research? Today’s technological advances make it easy! Getting started means going from what you know, to using a variety of resources – in person and online – to discover the unknown. Learn about common record types, and how to access them, in this informative workshop!

     Getting More Out of Your Genealogy Research: Methods, Documents, and Websites

An in-depth exploration how to extract information from certain types of documents, as well as a modeled approach to using some of the more popular websites for genealogical research. This session can be extended include an additional “Part 2” hands-on workshop, with participants on computers, for an added fee.

         Researching Enslaved Ancestors

The presenter shares and models best practice and methodology for researching formerly enslaved ancestors. Participants learn about helpful record types and web sites and how to extract data about the enslaved from records of slave-owning communities.

         Researching Formerly Enslaved Ancestors: It Takes a Village!

This talk is designed for descendants of antebellum property owners, particularly those who enslaved other humans. The focus is on how descendants of slave owners are crucial to and can assist in the efforts of those researching the formerly enslaved.

         Researching Ancestors of Color

This session is specific to researching ancestors of color, to include formerly enslaved and free people of color. Participants learn which record types and web sites are most helpful in this type of research and how to extract data about people of color from various document types.

         Using Funeral Programs to Inform Genealogy Research

Funeral Programs are often rich with genealogical information. In this talk, the presenter will dissect the parts of commonly used funeral programs, and model how to extract important genealogical information and clues from these valuable documents.                                                    

In Their Own Words: Genealogy in the Slave Narratives                    Uncovering the genealogy of the formerly enslaved can often be challenging; but sometimes, the information is left in first-hand accounts, commonly known as "Slave Narratives.” From books, to projects set up to learn about life during slavery, researchers can find an abundance of genealogical and other information about enslaved families, their owners, and their communities - straight from the mouths of the Ancestors.

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Remember: Email yarsan@aol.com to book me for your upcoming event!

Renate

Permalink to this post: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2019/09/speaker-bio-renate-yarborough-sanders.html

Memory Monday

Today we said good-bye to my sister-in-law, Lizzie Ardena (Poole) Yarborough.  May she rest in peace.

Renate